Today's my Birthday: 2012

Gail, author of Bible Love Notes, shares insights about turning 61 and her 38 years of walking with the Lord.

Written in July 2012:

This year I turn 61 and 38…physical birth, spiritual birth.(1) 

And I can't help but reflect on the similarities in my physical and spiritual growth processes:

As a baby Christian God "wiped my nose and hand-fed me." Things were pretty easy. 

In the early years His Word was my caretaker and every lesson was an exciting new discovery. 

Awkward growth spurts followed when I became a spiritual adolescent. 

Then I spent far too long in the know-it-all stage of my teen years. 

Eventually God began to trust me with the responsibilities and hardships of spiritual adulthood. Sometimes I made Him proud, sometimes I staggered from the pain and sank into self-pity, and often I longed for the easier years of spiritual childhood. 

But babies can’t experience God’s fullness. We learn and grow through adult responsibilities and adult difficulties.

Gail, author of Bible Love Notes, shares insights about turning 61 and her 38 years of walking with the Lord.
Today, as I turn 61 and 38, please ask God to help me keep growing. And this is my prayer for you too!

Let's grow up in our faith!

1 Peter 2:2-3:
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Hebrews 5:11-14:
There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

(1) My spiritual birthday is actually a few months prior to my physical birthday  


16 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday to you, Gail! May your physical BD be a very special day full of many blessings and may your spiritual BD also be as special! I so admire and appreciate the wisdom you share! And I love the picture of you and your sister!

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    1. Thanks so much for your kind words and birthday wishes, Brenda! : )

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  2. Love that picture. And Happy Birthday!

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  3. Happy Birthday, Gail! I have recently discovered your blog, and it is so nice to wake up to one of your "love notes" each morning - great way to start the day! May the Lord richly bless your 62nd (and 39th) year, and continue to inspire you daily with tidbits to enrich your readers' lives.

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    1. Thanks for your encouragement about Bible Love Notes and your birthday prayer for me! : )

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  4. Many birthday blessings to you! :)

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  5. Happy Birthday, Gail!! What a blessing you have been to me and so many others in the blogisphere. I hope that this is a very special day for you as you celebrate both your physical and spiritual birthdays. I just love the picture of you and your sister!!

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    1. That blessing goes both ways, Judith. You are a blessing to me and others. Thanks for your birthday wishes. : )

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  6. Happy Birthday, Gail. May you have a blessed day! Thank you for the excellent devotionals.

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  7. Happy Birthday Gail. Hope you have recovered from your fall. I thoroughly enjoyed all your postings about your trip, especially the flea market & your finds :o) May you continue to feel God's presence for many more years!

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    1. Thank you so much, Frances. I appreciate your kind words. : )

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  8. Gail have a very happy birthday! May God continue to shower you with his unending blessings. Thank you for all you do.

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  9. A bit late, but wishing you a Happy Birthday! Hope your day was extra special! Appreciate your encouraging words here on your blog ...

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